Johannesburg – The media have ben granted permission to record the proceedings in the bail aplplication of self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri, his wife Mary and their co-accused.
The leaders of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church have been charged with fraud, money laundering and Contravention of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act worth R102-million.
They were arrested earlier this week.
Bushiri’s legal team argued that the filming of the proceedings would prejudice them but the legal team for the media told the court that the family was already known, and it did not make sense that cameras were not allowed.
In her ruling, the magistrate said that the argument by the defence had no basis since Bushiri’s congregants protesting outside were holding banners with his face and this wasn’t the first time that he was shown on TV.
As a result, cameras will be permitted during this bail application but the media have been barred from filming the prosecuting team.
Meanwhile, Bushiri’s lawyers have already begun their bail application.
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